Republic XP-41
Republic Aviation Corporation · United States · first flew 1939 · fighter
The Republic XP-41 was an American single-seat fighter prototype of 1939, developed from the Seversky P-35 with a turbosupercharged engine to explore high-altitude performance. It was a one-off testbed that contributed to later Republic designs.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat American fighter development of the Seversky P-35
- Retractable undercarriage and supercharged radial engine in long cowling
- Transitional design bridging the P-35 and P-47 lineage
Resembles the P-35 closely but is distinguished by the turbo-supercharger installation and modified cowling around the supercharged radial engine.
Specifications
- The Republic XP-41 has a length of 8.2 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 517 km/h (321 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Converted from a production P-35 airframe, the XP-41 tested the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 with a turbo-supercharger. Although performance was promising at altitude, the design was overtaken by newer developments and the sole prototype was not followed by production orders.
Variants
Only a single XP-41 was completed; it led conceptually toward the XP-47 and eventual P-47 Thunderbolt.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; used purely for evaluation testing by the USAAC.
Related aircraft
- Seversky P-35
- Republic RC-3 Seabee
- Republic XP-72
- Republic XF-12 Rainbow
- Arsenal VG-33
- Avia B-135
- Beriev MBR-7
- Bisnovat SK-1
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